In December 2007 the Executive Director & CEO proposed - and a year later the Board of Directors decided - that CWS would supplement its strategic planning by devising a long-term vision for the agency. This was posited as an opportunity to establish a legacy for a next generation of governance and management leadership; and one which would be predicated on developing a series of operating principles and methodologies, as well as understanding of CWS in both an ecumenical and global context.

The challenge has been to imagine what CWS needs to begin doing now in order to both sustain this ministry, and to position CWS for greater impact beyond the year 2020. This proposal was named, CWS 2020.

The purpose of CWS 2020 is to create an immediate vision that addresses the formidable challenges inherent in today’s world and that will move the agency forward with a leap into an evolving future. This clarified vision is designed to create and sustain enthusiasm; attract significant funding from a wide variety of sources; and align with deeply held values.

CWS 2020 is not intended as a reorganization or restructure of CWS, or to change the mission and ownership by member communions. It is presumed that once approved, CWS will move with deliberate effort to implement the vision, so that by the year 2020, CWS is in fact living the vision.

October 19, 2011 is a date for the CWS history books, CWS Board of Directors voted unanimously to adopt the CWS 2020 Vision and to vest all of us with the responsibility to see that through.

Based on the e-mail from John L. McCullough, Executive Director & CEO of Church World Service, about celebrating the CWS 2020 Vision, and as advised from CWS Cambodia Country Representative, CWS Cambodia celebrated this event on November 7, 2011 in Phnom Penh central office as well as in the project offices. We all read the e-mail from the Executive Director & CEO, the principles for CWS 2020, the CWS 2020 impacts and the meaning of CWS logo.

Two video clips – CWS 2020 Greeting and Invitation by ED & CEO and CWS Change the Equation. Staff were also invited to share their opinions about CWS 2020 Vision. All staff felt great about this global celebration on November 7 as this was something that we have never done before and we all enjoyed it.

On Friday, November 4, the last day of the visit of two colleagues from CWS Kenya to CWS Cambodia, we all took some photos together wearing hats with CWS 2020, before they left for Viet Nam.